Released 25/01/2018
Addressing the legal profession at today’s Commencement of the 2018 Legal Year Ceremony, Minister Ramsay affirmed the Government’s commitment to innovative approaches to help Canberra’s most vulnerable.
“At the heart of the role of Attorney-General is responsibility for the administration of justice. A healthy justice system is one with systems in place to ensure fair trials, fair hearings and fair outcomes for all parties involved,” Minister Ramsay said.
“By championing reforms in areas such as child sexual abuse, family violence, legal assistance, a drug and alcohol court and restorative justice and practices this government is committed to ensuring that our services correct inequality and support a cohesive community.
“We are actively participating in the development of the national redress scheme that will provide tangible redress for victims of child sexual abuse. These reforms provide an opportunity to break down structures of power that facilitated and protected abuse, and to recognise the impact of that abuse on survivors in a way that is restorative.
“The Government is also proud of its work towards establishing a drug and alcohol court. Substance abuse has a strong link to criminal offending, and there is a large body of evidence that properly implemented drug courts are effective at reducing both reoffending and substance abuse.
“This initiative is part of a range of reforms that will be aimed at helping the government reach its target to reduce recidivism by 25 per cent by 2025.”
Minister Ramsay commended the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council on its progress in looking at how Canberra can become a restorative city.
“This year I will be focusing on how our justice system can become even more accessible, transparent and timely by fostering restorative practices in the ACT.
“As our community grows and evolves, there is always room for improvement. As First Law Officer of the Territory and as an elected member of this Government, I look forward to another year of robust debate, and working together as a community that is passionate about justice,” Minister Ramsay said.
- Statement ends -
Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Media Releases